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Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Search Search: THE INFLUENCE GAME: Health interests fund senators By ALAN FRAM,Associated Press Writer AP - 2 hours 39 minutes ago WASHINGTON - Sen. Max Baucus, a leader in the troubled effort in Congress to write a health care overhaul bill, has received more campaign donations from the health industry than any elected federal official except President Barack Obama and three other senators. ADVERTISEMENT In keeping with the ways of Washington and Capitol Hill, Baucus is enjoying this donor largesse _ some $3.9 million in contributions from the health care industry since 1989 _ principally because of his place as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. It's the panel that has had as much or more to say than any about whatever kind of medical overhaul emerges from Congress. The stream of generous campaign contributions didn't stop at the chairman's door, either; donations from doctors, drug makers, hospitals and other medical interests also flowed to those who have worked closely with Baucus in the now well-known "Gang of Six." Leading two other Democrats and three Republicans in the behind-the-scenes bill drafting work, Baucus has labored since June to write a bipartisan bill cutting health costs and extending coverage to millions of Americans _ and that's still possible. But he also was going ahead Wednesday with plans to outline details of his proposed bill without any of the Republicans in attendance. Notwithstanding party affilation, legislative euphemism and lofty-sounding bill titles, all six of the Finance Committee members most intimately involved in drafting the measure have received above-average donations from the health care world. Four other congressional committees have produced bills that tilt heavily toward Democratic priorities. The work of the Gang of Six is important because Baucus' bill _ set to be unveiled Wednesday _ is seen as the closest to a draft that might win Senate passage with some GOP support. It's also the closest to what the health industry wants: It has no government-run insurance option, would require individuals to get coverage and sets up experiments in limiting medical malpractice suits. Among them, the six senators have raised $10.7 million since 1989 from the industries and people with the most at stake financially in the overhaul effort. That's an average of nearly $1.8 million apiece over that period, more than triple the roughly $560,000 average for all other senators and representatives. The figures are based on data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which studies political spending, and actually understate health-related contributions. The center's researchers include only some campaign donations from health insurers in the health category because they lump many health insurers' donations into a separate category for insurance, real estate and financial firms. Even so, the data spotlight the financial clout health interests wield on Capitol Hill. Corporate and individual contributions from the health sector to current officeholders have totaled $328 million over the past two decades. The leaders are Obama, with $20 million, mostly during his presidential run last year, and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, his GOP opponent, with $9 million. Health insurers alone have donated at least $42 million to lawmakers, including nearly $2 million to the six senators working on the health legislation. In the first six months of this year, health interests have made campaign contributions of $23 million. By comparison, the biggest 2009 donors so far _ finance, real estate and insurance interests _ have given $50 million. Since 1989, five of Baucus' top 20 campaign contributors have been from the health care world: drug makers Schering-Plough Corp. and Amgen Inc., insurers Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna Inc., and DaVita Inc., which provides dialysis services. From 2005 through this year, 18 percent of his campaign funds have come from the health sector, though he has also relied heavily on donations from insurance, finance, real estate and law interests _ all with key interests before his tax-writing panel. Baucus spokesman Tyler Matsdorf said the senator was too busy to be interviewed. His office said Baucus has clashed with health insurers and pharmaceutical companies. "I resent any implication that any of my actions or decisions are a result of contributions," Baucus told the Independent Record newspaper of Helena, Mont., last month. "I resent that because that is totally inaccurate. I do what I think is right, period." Critics say campaign funds inevitably have impact. "Companies like the health care industry don't spend money on members of Congress because they think it's like burning their money and throwing it away. They spend money on members of Congress because they believe it gets them results," said Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard Law School professor and co-founder of Change-Congress.org, an advocacy group seeking to end large private political donations. Of the six senators, Charles Grassley of Iowa comes closest to Baucus' health donations _ $2.7 million, ranking him 14th among officeholders. The Finance Committee's top Republican, Grassley is the only one of the six who faces re-election next year, and his $227,000 in contributions from health interests in the first half of 2009 places him eighth among lawmakers for the period. Twenty-six percent of his campaign contributions since 2005 have come from health interests, the highest proportion in the Gang of Six, including large amounts from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Amgen and the insurer AFLAC Inc. "Senator Grassley accepts campaign contributions that are legal and come with no strings attached," said spokeswoman Jill Kozeny. Even the Gang of Six member with the smallest take from health interests, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, has tallied $756,000 from the health sector. That ranks her 122nd of 533 current members of Congress. Snowe could be a critical actor in this year's health care drama because she is considered the likeliest Republican to back a Democratic bill. She doesn't face the voters again until 2012. Of the other senators in the Gang of Six: _Kent Conrad, D-N.D., has received $1.6 million in health contributions since 1989, 35th among lawmakers. _Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., has accumulated $865,000, ranking him 102nd. _Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., has gotten $844,000, ranking him 104th. Besides Obama and McCain, only Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Arlen Specter, D-Pa., have received more health contributions than Baucus, $8.3 million and $4.5 million, respectively. ___ On the Net: Center for Responsive Politics: http://www.opensecrets.org Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: World Protesters burn photos of UN judges in SarajevoAP - 1 hour 59 minutes ago Mall magnate, Pacers owner Melvin Simon dies at 82AP - 2 hours 31 minutes ago Foul-mouthing boss not grounds for firing in SpainAP - 2 hours 33 minutes ago Syria's president in Turkey for Israel talksAP - 2 hours 39 minutes ago THE INFLUENCE GAME: Health interests fund senatorsAP - 2 hours 39 minutes ago Most Popular – World Viewed Mafia sank boat with radioactive waste: official 'Dirty Dancing' star Patrick Swayze dead at 57 Obama lashes out at Wall Street Iraq shoe-thrower flies out after release Remains of Jesus-era synagogue found in Israel View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! 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